Human rights group Amnesty International claim that serious human rights violations continue to be committed in the country with security measures still in place to stop large gatherings.

Alazanyi admitted that his nation was "learning the lessons from our recent past" and emphasised the economic benefits that the race would bring for the whole country.

When people in a country are being hurt, the issues are bigger than sport

Mark Webber on Twitter

Speaking before the FIA's meeting in Barcelona on Friday, F1 supermo Bernie Ecclestone had insisted that the FIA's decision would have "nothing to do with money at all", stressing that safety was paramount in his considerations.

Former world champion Damon Hill had expressed his personal view that F1 "will forever have the blight of association with repressive methods to achieve order" if it returns to Bahrain this season.

ANALYSIS

The teams won't be happy but Bernie Ecclestone is the man who pays their bills and so they will go along with it. You risk running into another storm of civil unrest. Martial law has only been lifted there a couple of days ago and you wonder what Formula 1 is gaining by this return.

BBC Sport's Jonathan Legard

And Max Mosley, FIA president from 1993 to 2009, had warned that sponsors may not want to be associated with a rearranged race.

The inaugural Indian Grand Prix, which is being staged at the newly built Buddh International Circuit near New Delhi, is expected to be moved to 11 December.

If so, the 2011 F1 calendar will stretch further into the year than it has since the 1963 season was completed in South Africa on 28 December.

Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn had previously described any extension of the season beyond the original 27 November finale in Brazil as "totally unacceptable".

The new date for the Indian Grand Prix may yet be disputed, with the Formula 1 Teams' Association (Fota) due to discuss the FIA's decision.